Question

Which vowel sound is a high-back rounded vowel?

• A. /u:/
• B. /i:/
• C. /ɔ:/
• D. /ɒ/

Answer 1

Answer:

A. /u:/

Understanding Vowel Sounds: The Case of /u:/

• Vowel sounds are produced with a relatively open vocal tract, meaning there is no significant obstruction of the airflow. They are typically voiced.
• Vowels are primarily classified based on three articulatory dimensions, crucial for phonetics in competitive exams:
1. Tongue Height: How high or low the tongue is in the mouth. Categories include high, mid, and low.
2. Tongue Backness: How far forward or back the tongue is in the mouth. Categories include front, central, and back.
3. Lip Rounding: Whether the lips are rounded or unrounded during the production of the sound. Categories include rounded and unrounded.
• The vowel sound /u:/ (as in 'moon' or 'food') is classified as a high-back rounded vowel.
• High: This means that the tongue is raised high in the mouth, close to the roof, without creating friction.
• Back: This indicates that the main body of the tongue is positioned towards the back of the mouth.
• Rounded: This refers to the lips being noticeably rounded during the articulation of this vowel.
• The colon (:) in /u:/ signifies that it is a long vowel in English, distinguishing it from short vowels like /ʊ/ (as in 'put' or 'foot').
• The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for this sound is /uː/. IPA is a universal system for transcribing speech sounds, essential for phonetic studies.
• Other examples of words containing the /u:/ sound include 'blue', 'truth', 'route', and 'fruit'.
• Understanding vowel classification is fundamental for analyzing phonology and pronunciation in English, often tested in competitive exams requiring knowledge of phonetics and phonology.